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AG’s office warns public about IRS scams

Attorney General Ken Paxton is warning Texans to beware of a tax-related scam preying on individuals as the April 18th income tax deadline approaches.

The scam involves unsolicited phone calls from individuals who claim to be Internal Revenue Service agents, according to a press release issued by the Office of the Attorney General. The scammers claim the person owes back taxes and will be arrested if he or she doesn’t provide immediate payment.

If you receive such a call, follow these tips from the Consumer Protection Division of the attorney general’s office:

Hang up. The IRS never makes unsolicited threatening phone calls.

The IRS will never ask you to send money via wire or a prepaid credit card.

Don’t be fooled by caller ID indicating it is the IRS. Scammers use “spoof” phone numbers to give the appearance of being legitimate.

Be suspicious of voice mail messages from scam artists who claim they’re with the IRS and leave a call back number with a Washington, D.C., area code. Report the phone number to the Texas attorney general’s office and the IRS.

If you think you may owe money to the IRS, contact the agency directly at 800-829-1040 or at irs.gov.

Legitimate communications from the IRS will come as a form letter and generally do not demand sensitive personal information.

To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, go here. Learn more about frauds and scams here.

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In 1882, hundreds of judges and lawyers gathered in Galveston to establish the Texas Bar Association, a volunteer organization. Half a century later, seeking to ensure that lawyers maintain the highest ethical standards, the association proposed legislation that would unify the bar and provide more stringent controls over standards of practice. The Texas Legislature passed the State Bar Act in 1939, mandating that all attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas belong to the State Bar of Texas.